1. Breaking up wood is hard to do …
Read the full article at rsc.li/2zRTKTA .
Lignin is the second most common natural polymer on Earth and is the stuff that makes wood strong, rigid and, well, woody. The strength comes from the chemical structure of lignin as it has long chains of carbon-carbon bonds (red in the diagram) that make long strands that interlink with the cellulose (green).
To be able to make biofuels and other valuable hydrocarbons from sawdust we need to be able to break up the lignin into smaller molecules and research chemists are now working out how to do this. They have developed a process which involves using a reactive chemical called a phosphinite with a rhodium metal catalyst. This new process still needs more work because the reactions need to be carried out in an oxygen-free environment which would be difficult to do on a large scale. .
This slide summarises a recent article published by Chemistry World. Use this slide as a lesson starter. It also contains questions that can be used to engage pupils.
Image credit: Adapted from Catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass with polymers: a critical review with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry

2. Breaking up wood is hard to do …
Read the full article at rsc.li/2zRTKTA
Lignin is the second most common natural polymer on Earth and is the stuff that makes wood strong, rigid and, well, woody. The strength comes from the chemical structure of lignin as it has long chains of carbon-carbon bonds (red in the diagram) that make long strands that interlink with the cellulose (green).
To be able to make biofuels and other valuable hydrocarbons from sawdust we need to be able to break up the lignin into smaller molecules and research chemists are now working out how to do this. They have developed a process which involves using a reactive chemical called a phosphinite with a rhodium metal catalyst. This new process still needs more work because the reactions need to be carried out in an oxygen-free environment which would be difficult to do on a large scale.
What is the most common natural polymer on Earth? (Hint: it’s biological too)
Find rhodium on the Periodic Table, what is its atomic number?
Lignin typically makes up 27% of the mass of a tree trunk, estimate the mass of lignin in a 63 kg piece of wood.
The first step of the process to break down lignin forms biphenols. What is the chemical structure of phenol? Suggest a structure for a biphenol.
This slide summarises a recent article published by Chemistry World. Use this slide as a lesson starter. It also contains questions that can be used to engage pupils.
Image credit: Adapted from Catalytic co-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass with polymers: a critical review with permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry
Answers:
Polysaccharides which include cellulose, starch and glycogen. This question makes a link between biology and chemistry.
Rhodium is a transition metal, its atomic number is 45.
27% of 63 kg = 17 kg
This is an A-level chemistry question. Phenol: benzene ring with –OH. Biphenol: two benzene rings linked together, each benzene ring has an OH group (which could be in different positions on the ring).